Wayne Joseph Grellner

You were born on February 7, 1974, in Jefferson City, Missouri and the world has never been the same since.  You grew up with your parents, Tom and Elsie, and your seven siblings in the small town of Frankenstein, Missouri. Although your memories of working on the family farm may not have been your favorite, they helped shape the wonderful person we knew.  You always had a strong work ethic and enjoyed problem solving to help others throughout your career in pharmaceutical development.  But what really shaped you was the love of your family and the mischief you got into growing up.  That love poured over into our relationship when we were married in Kansas City, Missouri in 2010 and then settled in Raleigh, North Carolina where we were blessed with our two beautiful girls, Elizabeth Jane and Ellison Kate. There is not a moment that I ever doubt how much you loved us.  Your wit, sarcasm, and joy in joking around with others kept everyone on their toes.  You loved to cook, spend time with family, close friends, and neighbors and never said no when we wanted to go for a quick trip to the beach or the mountains. The memories of spontaneous food fights in the kitchen with inedible banana bread, hiding fake bugs to make people jump, riding around town in your Jeep with the music blaring, letting the girls paint your nails, and your spontaneity in putting up a tent in the backyard or dressing up in Halloween costumes any day of the year are memories we cherish and put smiles on our faces. Wayne, you left us too soon and will forever be missed.  We will carry the love and joy that you shared with us in our hearts.

All our love, 

Jenn, Lizzie, and Ellie

Wayne Joseph Grellner, 49, of Raleigh passed away Thursday, September 14, 2023.  He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Grellner. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Grellner, two daughters, Elizabeth Jane Grellner and Ellison Kate Grellner, his mother, Elsie Grellner, siblings, Gene Grellner (Janis), Judy Hicks (Kevin), Mary Kever (Mark Meyer), John Grellner (Jill), Diane Haslag (Charles), Rhonda Briot (Randy) and Alan Grellner (Carrie), father-in-law, Steve Ford, mother-in-law, Jane Ford, sister-in-law, Lisa Buss (Patrick) and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and extended family.

A Celebration of Wayne’s life will be held Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 2:00 pm at Wakefield United Methodist Church, 10701 Common Oaks Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614. A visitation/reception will be held in the fellowship hall following the service.  An additional Celebration of Wayne’s life will also be held at a later date in Missouri for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Wayne’s honor be made to Lizzie and Ellie’s educational fund in c/o Jenn Grellner, 2920 Forestville Road, Ste 100-62, Raleigh, NC 27616.

Bright Funeral Home is serving the Grellner family.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.